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A warm NAC welcome for Winterlude
January 27, 2025From January 31 to February 17, the NAC welcomes Winterlude enthusiasts into our public spaces and theatres for a cozy break from outdoor activities. Outside, our Kipnes Lantern will light up Elgin Street with Winterlude wonders and visitors to Sparks Street can check out an ice carving of…
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The NAC’s Fourth Stage: Ottawa’s hidden gem
January 10, 2025William Prince, Alex Cuba, and Lisa Leblanc. What do these acclaimed artists have in common? Before they performed in a full Southam Hall or Babs Asper Theatre, they made their National Arts Centre debuts at the Fourth Stage. This is the place to be to see both established and new emerging…
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Celebrating 55 years of dedication and excellence
December 23, 2024The NAC Orchestra is proud to celebrate an extraordinary milestone: violinist Karoly Sziladi, a founding member of the Orchestra, has reached an incredible 55 years of service. From the very first notes played at the NAC’s inaugural performance in 1969 to countless concerts that have…
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Bear Grease? Tell me more, tell me more!
December 10, 2024Crystle Lightning and MC RedCloud, affectionately known as “Cloud” — the creative minds behind Bear Grease — share their inspirations, success, and the importance of Indigenous representation. What was the initial interest that sparked the development of Bear Grease? Crystle: Cloud and I…
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The iconic Beauchemin Curtain rises again
December 9, 2024In the years following the opening of the NAC in 1969, one of the joys of attending a performance in the Opera (now called Southam Hall), was to sit and quietly marvel at the sight of the breathtakingly beautiful Beauchemin Curtain. It was said that the curtain was the first work of art…
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A path punctuated with beautiful sparks
December 3, 2024Since 1992, December 3 has marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day that “aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every…
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Invitation for public feedback on accessibility at the NAC
December 2, 2024We are currently reviewing and finalizing our 2024 Accessibility Progress Report. This document is intended as a summary of our progress towards achieving the accessibility goals included in our 2022-2025 Accessibility Plan. Over the past few months, our Accessibility Advisory Committee…
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“A gift to the trumpet repertoire”
November 26, 2024John Estacio’s concerto gets NAC premiere with Karen Donnelly Karen Donnelly, who’s been the NAC Orchestra’s Principal Trumpet since 1999, will be the featured soloist for the Southam Hall premiere of Canadian composer John Estacio’s Trumpet Concerto in performances on November 27…
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Nominate your favourite artist for a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award
November 26, 2024We all know that one of Canada’s best exports is its immense talent in the performing arts. Around the world and here at home, people turn to the arts and our artists in times of celebration and as a balm during uncertainty. Since 1992, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards…
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Rita Joe’s I Lost My Talk: A poem for reconciliation
September 27, 2024As Canada observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, a day dedicated to acknowledging the legacy of residential schools and the ongoing journey toward healing, we invite Canadians to engage with I Lost My Talk, the heartfelt poem of Mi’kmaw elder Rita Joe. In…
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Jeremy Dutcher brings his ancestors’ songs to Southam Hall
September 20, 2024Ahead of his highly anticipated headlining debut with the NAC Orchestra at Southam Hall on September 13, award-winning composer, musician and singer Jeremy Dutcher checked in with NACO Music Director Alexander Shelley for an illuminating one-on-one about music, identity, and culture. Their…
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AIRsessions: Making connections, one song at a time
September 17, 2024Since 2018, Manitoba singer-songwriter Ila Barker has been hosting AIRsessions, a free music workshop series that mentors Indigenous youth ages 13 to 25. Initially offered only in Winnipeg, AIRsession has became pan-Canadian for over then four years now. Earlier this summer, Barker, who…
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Navigating Tides: A show that sails between dance and music
September 4, 2024A host of family activities will be offered on September 14 and 15 as part of the SPHERE Festival, including Navigating Tides, an interactive performance that uses music and movement to explore our relationship with water and our connection to the Earth’s ecosystem. This 30-minute “choose…
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Henry Kennedy appointed first Resident Conductor of NAC Orchestra
July 4, 2024Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra is delighted to announce that Nova Scotian conductor Henry Kennedy has been selected as its new Resident Conductor. Henry Kennedy hails from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and has spent his educational and professional life mostly based in the United…
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Irresistible Neighbourhoods: Preparing and recording Ottawa 2044
June 16, 2024You are invited to cast your mind 20 years into the future of the place where you live. What would make your neighbourhood… irresistible? In 2023, we asked emerging local playwrights to walk through their neighbourhoods and offer possible futures in the form of a radio play. Welcome to…
